Greetings! Konduit here, and today I've got a quick article for y'all on immobile mages (or low-mobility mages, for you precise-minded summoners; technically no champion is immobile - only 'low-mobility', in the words of Kobe). I've been playing immobile mages (Malzahar, Brand, and Swain, primarily) in the mid lane almost exclusively for about 5 years...Champions without dashes or blinks are, in my opinion, some of the most contextually powerful characters in the game. These champions typically have a high or reasonably high reliability of execution (i.e., minimal reliance on hard-to-hit skillshots); they pay for this boon in a loss of flexibility, but gain immense damage output and even utility in their kits.

There are a few general principles regarding immobile champions, which I'll introduce to you below...but don't blame me if you find yourself unable to go back to champions with dashes! When you acquire a taste for immobility, it's allure may hook you in for longer than you thought possible! Without further ado let's get into it.

1. Understand the trade-offs that mobile champions make for their mobility, and where you shine relative to them.

I see many players consider immobile champions as 'inherently weaker' because they don't have dashes or blinks. While certainly a distinct weakness, this fact in and of itself does not make these champions weak. Their power has simply been distributed into other areas; immobile champions have access to some of the most game-changing, reliable skills in the entire roster. Malzahar, for all his vulnerability, has a 2.5 second targeted suppress on a relatively short cooldown - the longest suppression duration in the game (with generous AP ratios in his kit to boot). Ahri, for all her dashes, flexibility, and safety, has somewhat unreliable damage output - much of her damage is concentrated into Charm and Orb of Deception, skillshots that can be dodged and avoided.

The first, and most important principle I can convey to you is that you should recognize the strengths of your champion, and have confidence in Riot's developers. You've been given a powerful kit in its own right, regardless if you lack a skill that can put you over walls!

2. Impeccable positioning is your mantra.

Immobile mages typically have expansive, potent zones of control, but those zones are often static, rather than dynamic. Where Ahri or Zed can rapidly (dynamically) shift their zone of influence with mobility skills, Malzahar, Brand, and Velkoz don't have access to this surprise factor without the use of Flash; instead, they slowly move their zone closer/further away over the course of a fight. This means that you have to manage your zone - and the opponents' zones - much more carefully...you don't have a fallback escape skill to get you out of a tight spot! Each move you make must be planned in advance, conscientious of your opponent's positioning and capability to jump on you. Your playstyle must shift accordingly. It's very rare that committing deeply to an engagement is the right call - with no way to back out if things go sour, going in too ham has a high probability of getting you killed.

If you manage your range of influence carefully, use your abilities while preserving your safety, and cooperate/stick with your team to cover your weaknesses, your overwhelming strengths will manifest themselves in fights. If you've ever been on the wrong side of a farmed Vel'koz positioning well behind his teammates, you know what I'm talking about. Positioning is the name of the game.

3. Avoid situations that are not conducive to your skillset.

However, engaging in scrappy 1v1's as Vel'koz is generally not the way to go. This goes for any champion really, but you must play to your strengths and avoid exposing your weaknesses. Taking fights that allow the opponent the time to set up an outplay against you is particularly dangerous if you don't have an escape method for when things go south. That's not to say don't take 1v1s, as you can certain go for these duels if you're confident in the context at hand (your opponent has key abilities on cooldown, you've got access to flash, they've mispositioned, etc.) - my point is that you should really focus on taking the fights that truly allow you to flex your muscles.

Most mages excel in teamfighting scenarios where they can establish their zones of influence and dispense massive AoE damage/crowd control while their team backs them up. Immobile champions can often experience towering high points and rock-bottom low points; have a plan and play to your strengths to manifest those high points as often as you can.

4. Play with and around your team.

I mentioned this in brief earlier, but it's an important enough principle to merit its own heading. As an immobile mage, you're a team-oriented champion. You cannot reach your full potential, nor can your team composition reach its full potential unless you work with and around your teammates. You're the cannonball to the team's cannon: the team moves in a direction and decides to make a play, you bring the rain. In practical terms, this largely means staying with your team in the midgame - splitpushing or going off on your own into the enemy jungle are not reliable means to success. Remember, your teammates are covering your weaknesses (namely your immobility): there is safety in numbers. The team is also relying on your considerable output (whether that be in damage, CC, or zone control), so it's a quid pro quo kinda thing. When you've fully embraced your role on the team, you'll sometimes look forward to 'afk farming' through the laning phase so you can demonstrate your prowess in teamfights.

So that's it for immobile mages 101. I'll be writing much more on the mages, immobility, and other concepts when the MYMU (Mid-Year Mage Update) goes live, so be on lookout for that. Now get out there and move (but not dash or blink!) towards victory! Best of luck.

That's all for today, I hope you enjoyed the article. If you'd like to discuss anything League, have comments/questions/feedback on this article, or just want to say hi, feel free to tweet me @k0nduit and I'll get back to you.

Until next time.

Konduit

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